From the Devils Postpile National Monument, a pleasant 2.5-mile hike passing through scorched forest leads to the dramatic Rainbow Falls, where water from the San Joaquin River crashes from a height of more than 100ft. Rainbows are frequently seen here; midday is the best time to capture it on your camera.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
28.64 MILES
North America’s second-oldest lake is 70 sq miles, and a quiet and mysterious expanse of deep blue water. The glassy surface reflects jagged Sierra peaks,…
5.6 MILES
Mammoth Mountain is the product of millions of years of volcanic activity, so it should be no surprise that the region surrounding it is full of…
29.08 MILES
With their massive stature and multi-millennium maturity, the chunky high-rise sequoias of Mariposa Grove will make you feel rather insignificant. The…
28.29 MILES
If you drove, the views from 7214ft Glacier Point might make you feel like you cheated – superstar sights present themselves without your having made…
26.59 MILES
Yosemite's most distinctive natural monument, Half Dome is 87 million years old and has a 93% vertical grade – the sheerest cliff in North America…
26.25 MILES
This ‘honey, hit the brakes!’ viewpoint, midway between the May Lake turnoff and Tenaya Lake, is a lunar landscape of glaciated granite with a stunning…
28.61 MILES
The hike to Sentinel’s summit (8122ft) is the shortest and easiest trail up one of Yosemite’s granite domes. For those unable to visit Half Dome’s summit,…
Devils Postpile National Monument
1.77 MILES
The most fascinating attraction in Reds Meadow is the surreal volcanic formation of Devils Postpile National Monument. The 60ft curtains of near-vertical,…
Nearby Eastern Sierra attractions
1.15 MILES
An enormous area of nearly 2 million acres of dense forests, high peaks and lakes, as well as nine wilderness areas, Inyo covers a good chunk of…
2. Devils Postpile National Monument
1.77 MILES
The most fascinating attraction in Reds Meadow is the surreal volcanic formation of Devils Postpile National Monument. The 60ft curtains of near-vertical,…
2.6 MILES
Named for the naturalist who devoted much of his life to protecting the Sierra Nevada and Yosemite regions, this wilderness area (around 600,000 acres)…
4. Ansel Adams Wilderness Area
3.71 MILES
The spectacular Ansel Adams Wilderness Area abuts Yosemite National Park, Mammoth Lakes, June Lake and Inyo National Forest. It contains some of the most…
3.99 MILES
West of the Mammoth Mountain resort, Reds Meadow Valley is one of the most beautiful and varied landscapes in the region. Drive about 1 mile up from the…
4.22 MILES
Year round, a vertiginous gondola whisks sightseers to the apex of Mammoth Mountain for breathless views of snow-speckled mountaintops. Leaves from near…
5.6 MILES
Mammoth Mountain is the product of millions of years of volcanic activity, so it should be no surprise that the region surrounding it is full of…
6.98 MILES
For a walk down memory lane, stop by this little museum inside the historic Hayden log cabin, with photographs and artifacts from its heyday as a hunting…